University is an exhilarating experience. You get to have so much independence, make all your own decisions and don’t have to answer to anyone’s rules (well not really).

But with all this new found independence comes responsibility. You have to get yourself up in the morning, make your own food and make sure you stay fit and healthy. Sounds easy right? Yeah, not so much…

Because you’re able to buy WHATEVER YOU LIKE you can stock up on all the stuff you don’t have at home e.g every flavour and crisp variety known to man, all of the chocolates and as much takeaway as you can handle. Only problem with that is this… not the best way to look after your body.

My biggest problem is that I love, love, LOVE all the stuff that is bad for you and have literally no will power to stop myself from buying it so I have to find other ways to make sure I stay healthy but can still eat the things I like.

Bournemouth Beach is a beautiful place and it’s such a nice way of getting in both exercise and the scenery. Okay, when it’s raining it’s not the best place to be or when the wind is blowing the sand in your face, but running from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe Pier and back is a great way to keep in shape for free. And for those days that are more wet and windy, there are loads of free videos on Youtube that have great workouts. I recommend checking out fitnessblender for an effective workout that doesn’t need any equipment.

Now for the scary part… the gym

This might sound a bit expensive for your student budget, but Bournemouth has options for everybody. The Town Centre has a 24-hour Gym which is about a 10 minute walk from the beach and the monthly membership includes free classes and you can try out having a personal trainer who can specialise your workout just for you.

The ASDA supermarket also has a FitSpace gym situated right underneath it which is close to halls. The membership also includes free classes and it is slightly cheaper than The Gym in town, but it doesn’t have such flexible opening hours (and it is very close to the McDonald’s, so there is a lot of temptation).

Bournemouth University also has a gym which is perfect for those of you who think going to the gym is a lot of hassle when it’s not that nearby. Joining the uni gym means you can finish lectures and go or even go before you start uni. The good thing is, it is open till late on a weekday and is open on weekends so it can make a great escape from revision and can be a good procrastination tool. There are lots of classes to choose from, so if you’re not in the mood or can’t motivate yourself, you can always sign up and get your motivation from someone else.

There are lots of options out there for you to choose from and if you’re not one for the gym or working out you can always try and avoid those naughty treats, but I know I don’t have the willpower to do that and I know I’m not the only one!

By Alice Fiancet